Published October 19, 2016
Send in the frowns.
This year's nationwide creepy clown craze has become a nightmare before Halloween for actual, working clowns. They say their bookings at parties and other events have dropped sharply, even after many of the social media-fueled scary clown sightings have turned out to be hoaxes.
Some professional clowns fear going out with their greasepaint makeup and red noses will make them a target of police, or even marauding mobs who take to the streets on so-called "clown hunts."
The World Clown Association — comprised of more than 2,000 members in 30 countries — has been flooded with calls from scared performers. It's been sending out tips suggesting clowns change into their costumes when they arrive at a party or consider performances in which they appear without clown makeup.
https://www.foxnews.com/us/crying-inside-creepy-craze-no-joke-for-real-clowns